One thing I noticed in reading your review, which is an easy mistake to make, but I have to note:

You write:
"Aside from the crazy stuff I mentioned above, the biggest question from Book 8 was never answered. What question, you say? Well look at the DAG cover. It's Sookie in between Eric and Bill."

The image on the cover is actually a scene that takes place relatively early in the DAG book. It's Sookie between Eric and the King of Nevada. It's the symbolic gesture of Sookie and Eric being bonded as in marriage. She carries a precious knife to Eric in front of King of Nevada. It's been awhile since I read the previous book, From Dead to Worse, so I'm not recalling who was killed with that knife. Sophie-Anne?

Like you, I was frustrated with the ending … not knowing whom Sookie with end up with. Then again, I believe DAG was the final book. It's title sounds like the final book in a series: Dead and Gone. Gone forever. Oh, well.

I agree with almost everything your review said. Quinn showing up was pointless. Mel being gay was pointless. Her nephew’s father calling was almost pointless…it was a weak attempt to keep it in the story since she ended on that note in Book 8.

Why was there no explanation as to why those fae killed Sookie’s parents? That bugged me, too.

I loved this book, still, and I’ll always love every book no matter what. But they can still leave a bad taste in my mouth.

The ‘war’ was very anticlimactic. There was almost no detail about the war. And as much as torture makes me uncomfortable, I think there should have been more description during the torture of Sookie.

Everything I was cool with until Sookie got kidnapped. Everything happened so fast and with so little explanation that my head was spinning. It went like this:

-Sookie gets kidnapped.
-Sookie gets tortured.
-Sookie gets rescued.
-Sookie finds out her parents were murdered.
-A small fight occurs.
-A pregnant Claudine dies.
-Niall leaves forever.
-The End.

It wasn’t so much that those events occurred, but the ending was lacking in depth!!!Very Stephenie Meyer-like *gag*. A few more chapters of detail would have pulled things together.

Personally I’m glad that Sookie doesn’t know who she wants yet. Mainly because it means more books . I doubt Charlaine will lose any readers any time soon, but if the next 3 books are lacking in WRITING like the ending of Dead and Gone, it’s a possibility. I’ll always read them though lol.

Like I said. I loved this book no matter what. Just as a parent could never hate or not love their child, they can still be disappointed in them. Thank God True Blood season 2 is coming out soon, it shortens what otherwise is going to be a long year until book 10!

The book was just fine for me. Perhaps my expectations were too high, but at least we got the start of Eric and Sookie’s talk, although much more discussion is needed and hopefully Sookie will be more receptive to talking to Eric about everything in the next book.

The ending bugged me most of all. Sookie not knowing who Niall was talking about. Really? I believe Niall was talking about Eric, but regardless Bill has told her in pretty much every book he loves her and Eric has shown her how much he cares and loves her (loved Evette’s thought about him telling her he loves he in a foreign language) as well and she still has to wonder at the end? Annoying.

My hope for book 10 is she stops blaming the bond for everything and actually talks to Eric about it.

@Meropi, true, true! I forgot to place that up there among the WTF moments, but yeah that was one of the worst! The battle seemed so confusing, the only point seemed to be to kill Sookie off!

Why were Breandan and his people so insistent on killing off Sookie? Breandan actually sought Sookie out just to off her! Wasn’t killing Niall more important? And why was Dermot on Breandan’s side? And why did we never get to hear either Breandan or Dermot explain their grievances? Sooo many questions left unanswered!

@Evette, she’s not even stopping at 10. There are four more after this, I hear. I really think she should just finish the series up already, or she might not have any more readers if she keeps churning out less than stellar Sookie mysteries.

Oh what an interesting idea! That maybe Eric’s told Sookie he loves her and she doesn’t even know it! Loves it

LOL at Eric as a father.

I haven’t thought about how I would like the series to end. But I do hope that Sookie finally finds happiness in Eric (and vice versa), and that Bill loses interest in Sookie (I hate to see him hurt all the time, I think he’s done enough penance).

@Sarilizard, yes we are all hopelessly in love with the Sookie novels.

Obvioulsy Eric and Bill both love her, but Bill’s love comes with regret and deception. Eric on the other hand I think lusted after her as an object, but by B4 did fall in love and has been struggling with how to deal with his feelings after 1000 years of being a lone ranger. But having said that…even from B2 Eric is ALWAYS at Sookie’s side and helps her with even her most dangerous requests. He nurses her to health and uses his wits to save her from vampire politics. Whether he can just bust out and say I love you??? Some men who are alive can’t do that. (Although please note that in DAG Eric utters something twice in a language she doesn’t know as they are making love… I love you is probably a good bet in ancient swede)

I will wait for Book 10 and watch the TV show, but I think after investing so much energy in their romance I am ready to let it go a bit as well. I will say this. I think the fact that Sookie ran Sam’s bar in book 9 and her nephew is coming into his own “gift” are significant..maybe Sookie will go go run Fantasia with Eric — Pam will get the call to go to Vegas — and raise her nephew. Then she can have a child and a vampire husband…I know I am way too optomistic, but that is my two cents.